Improvement in apparatus for amalgamating ores and precious metals



G. D. WYCKOFF.

Improvement in Apparatus for Amalgamating Ores and Precious Metais.

Patented March 19, \872.

x M .QQEQQLMLW PATENT OFFICE. i

GEORGE D. WYOKOFF, OF OIL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN APPARATUS FOR AMALGAMATING ORES AND PRECIOUS MEl'ALS.

Specification formiu g part Letters Patent N 0. 124,873, dated March 19, 1872.

. SPECIFICATION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. WYoKonF, of Oil City, in the county of Venango and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Amalgamators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a perspective viewof my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of .the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section and elevation of the same. I

This invention relates tothat class of amalgamators wherein the agitation of the mercury and auriferoussand or earth is produced by cylinders revolving in concave troughs, from one to anotherof which the said sand or earth is automatically transferredin succession; and it consists, first, in providing the revolving cylinders with a' covering of fibrous or equivalent material; second, in causing said cylinders to revolve in a direction opposite to the direction ofthe flow through the machine; third, in the adjustability of the machine in reference to a horizontal plane; fourth, in the mountings of the cylinders so that they may be readily removed; fifth, in the, arrangement of the driving mechanism; sixth, in the construction whereby all of the cylinders may be removed at one operation.

That others may fully understand my invention, I will particularly describe it.

The case A, which contains the amalgamating-troughs B and agitating-rollers O, I

prefer to make of cast-iron, in sections of three troughs, though any other material or proportion may be employed, if' desirable or necessary. The sections of the case A are cast with vertical ends, extending below the I prefer to cast in a single piece, as there is then no liability of leakage of mercury or metal. Steam may be introduced in any convenient manner, though I prefer to introduce it by means of an inlet-pipe, E, placed at the center of the case, or introduced through one of the bearings F, and said pipe may be extended to theupper end of the case, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the steam will issue at thatv inequality of surface to produce the required agitation of the auriferous matters within the troughs. I have found a covering of fibrous material, such as hemp or Manila rope, shown on rollers G, to be effective, though a covering of raw-hide, bristles in tufts, as shown on roller 0, or cord composed of copper or other soft-metal wire, shown on roller 0', will be nearly, if not quite, as good. The diameter of the cylinders U is such that, when covered as described and shown, there will be a clear space intervening between said cylinder and its trough of about one-fourth" of one inch, so that but a small quantity of auriferousmatter will be subjected at any one time to the action of the agitating-cylinders, and thereby a much more complete amalgamation is efiected than is possible when larger masses are subjected to action at one time. When a mass of auriferous earthy matter mixed with mercury is subjected to the action of a mass of iron movin g in close proximity to another mass of iron, the mercury is reduced to the condition called flour by the metallurgists; it is also said to be sickened, or rendered incapable of combining with the precious ore. These effects are neither of them produced with my machine, having cylinders covered with some material less rigid than iron, as rope, raw-hide, &c. .The principal mass of the mercury will collect at the lowest part of the concave B, and the corv rugations on the surface of the cylinder will continually cause the particles of the ore to bebrought in contact therewith. Heretofore,

when revolving cylinders have been employed in connection with a series of concave troughs so that a continuous passage of the auriferous earth from one trough to another was efl'ected, the cylinders were caused to revolve in the direction of the flow from one trough to another, and the passage of the auriferous matter was thereby facilitated; but the result was not beneficial, because the amalgamation of the mercury and metals requires time; and I therefore cause the cylinders O to revolve in a direction contrary to the flow, which is thereby retarded to such an extent as may be necessary to insure complete action with the least number of cylinders. The case A is placed upon an adjustable frame, H, which I prefer to hang upon bearings F, at its center, so that the whole will be balanced, though, if the apparatus is very large, it may be more advantageous to place the bearings at or near one end, and adjust by means of a screw or other device at the opposite end. The frame H, having its bearings placed at its center, may be placed level, or at any desired angle, and it may be secured in the required position by any convenient means. I show an are, I, and set screw J for that purpose. The greater the inclination of the case A and frame H, the more rapid will be the passage of the aurii'erous matters from one trough to another. This is called continuous working, but it sometimes happens that it is desirable to work by charges, and it is then made level, and a certain quantity of aurifercus earth is placed in the ma chine, and the action of the cylinders is continued until all of the ore contained in the charge is amalgamated. When the mercury pl a red at one time in the troughs has absorbed all of the metal it is capable of holding, it is necessary to stop the machine and discharge the contents. To do this readily requires the removal of the cylinders. When this has been arranged, I find it of great advantage to oscillate or rock the case A upon the bearings of the frame ll until the mercury is collected together at the bottom of the trough. The contents of the troughs may then be discharged through agate, K, at the end of the concave. The journals or bearings of the cylinders G are placed in wedge-shaped slides L, fitted in corresponding seats cut in the sides of the case A. By making the slides wedge-shaped, as shown, they may be easily rendered watertight in their seats, and the journals may pass through stuffing-boxes, to prevent any escape of water from the machine through the journal-boxes. This or some equivalent method of mounting the cylinders is required to permit the ready removal of the cylinders from the machine when its contents are to be discharged. At the outer end of each cylinderjournal, on one side of the machine, is a bevelpinion, M, which meshes with a corresponding pinion, N, on the driving-shaft O, which is hung in brackets along the side of the case A. Ifind it convenient to apply the prime motion to one of the cylinders and transmit the motion from said cylinder to the remaining cylinders, through the intervention of the shaft 0 and bevel-pinions M N.- When the cylinders O are to be removed from the machine, all of the pinions M N are thrown out of gear by moving the shaft 0 endwise in its hangers. Power is applied to the pulley P, whose axis is coincident with the axis of the bearings F, and from said pulley P a belt, Q, transmits the motion to one of the cylinders (J. In order to facilitate the removal of the cylinders and the discharge of the contents of the troughs, I employ a frame, R, which may be as large as the whole case A on its upper edge, or only equal to the length and breadth of a single section thereof; and to said frame I secure all of the slides L, so that when said frame is elevated it withdraws all of the cylinders with it. If the machine is of small dimensions, this may be effected by the strength of two men; but if it is of large dimensions, then it will be more convenient to provide hoisting-machinery, which may consist of a derrick, or of a simple block and tackle suspended from some framework overhead. For the convenient attachment of hoisting-machinery, the eye-bolts .8 may be inserted in the frame it at such points as may be required.

The machine is located near the stamp-battery, and the aurit'erous sand and earth is received in a hopper, T, located at the upper end of case A.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is-- 1. In combination'with the amalgamatorcase .A, provided with concaves'or troughs B, the cylinders 0, covered with some fibrous or equivalent material, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the amalgamatorcase A, provided with the coucaves or troughs B, the cylinders 0, arranged and geared to revolve therein in adirection opposite to the flow through the machine, as set forth.

3. Amalga-mator-cas e mounted upon a-frame, H, or its equivalent, to make said case adjust able in reference to a'horizontal plane.

4. In combination with the amalgamatorcase A, provided with troughs B, the cylinders G mounted in wedgeshaped boxes L, constructed, as described, to be easily removable from said case, for the purpose set forth.

5. In combination with the ainalgamatorcase A, provided with concave troughs B and cylinders C, arranged to revolve therein, the bevel-gears M N, and the sliding shaft 0, for the purpose substantially as set forth.

(3. In combination with the case A, provided with concaves or troughs B, and the cylinders O mounted in movable boxes L, the connecting-frame R, whereby all of the cylinders may be removed at one operation, substantially as described.

GEO. D. VTYCKOFF.

\Vitnesses:

It. D. 0. SMITH, E. R. MQKEAN. 

